ADS511 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DATA ANALYSYS LECTURE NOTE1 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

LECTURE OUTLINE The objective of lecture Upon the lecture students should be able to understand the basic elements/principles of research as a discipline/field of study. What is research? The goals of research Types of research Research approaches The major activities of research The outcomes of research

What is Research? Research and experimental development comprises creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man (sic), culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications.

Research is an active, diligent, and systematic process of inquiry in order to discover, interpret and/or revise facts. This intellectual investigation should produce a greater understanding of events, behaviors, or theories, or to make practical applications with the help of such facts, laws, or theories. The term research is also used to describe a collection of information about a particular subject.

Summary of concept Research is systematic process of enquiry Research is a scientific investigation. Research is an empirical study. Research as an academic discipline. Research is a professional career

The goals/objectives of research To explore a phenomena. To produce some new knowledge. To discover new invention/design. To discover some solutions to solve a particular problem. To produce some knew policies. To test certain hypothesis.

Types of research Basic research Basic research (also called fundamental or pure research) has as its primary objective the advancement of knowledge and the theoretical understanding of the relations among variables (see statistics). It is exploratory and often driven by the researcher’s curiosity, interest or hunch. It is conducted without a practical end in mind although it can have unexpected results that point to practical applications. The terms “basic” or “fundamental” research indicate that, through theory generation, basic research provides the foundation for further, often applied research. Because there is no guarantee of short-term practical gain, researchers often find it difficult to obtain funding for basic research. Pure basic research is experimental and theoretical work undertaken to acquire new knowledge without looking for long term benefits other than the advancement of knowledge.

Applied research Applied research is done to solve specific, practical questions; its primary aim is not to gain knowledge for its own sake. It can be exploratory but often it is descriptive. It is almost always done on the basis of basic research. Often the research is carried out by academic or industrial institutions. More often an academic instituion such as a university will have a specific applied research programme funded by an industrial partner. Common areas of applied research include electronics, informatics, computer science, process engineering and applied science.

Experimental development is systematic work, using existing knowledge gained from research or practical experience, that is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to installing new processes, systems and services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed.

Research approaches Approach 1 Quantitative/Descriptive Research Seeks to collect data which is in a numerical form, and which can be analyzed or presented using tables, charts of figures, histograms, graphs, or statistics.

Approach 2 Qualitative research Consists either of written or spoken words, and does not normally include any numerical measurements. Such data can consist of autobiographical, observation studies and interviews.

The major activities of research Define the nature of research Define the information/data needed Define the sources of data Define the methodology for gathering the data Define the instrument, measurement and scaling procedures used to collect the data Define the sampling process and procedure. Define the schedule plan for data collection. Develop a plan for data analysis Reporting the result.

The outcomes of research Result of the investigation/study The overall findings of the research Conclusion Report of the research activities

RESEARCH PLANNING/PROCESS STAGE A Setting out general statement of research problem/topic or question of interest STAGE B Scrutinizing the literature, consulting, discussing with colleagues, clarifying key concepts STAGE C Formulation of the research questions Identifying the key elements of the research (variables) and intended outcomes. Identifying the general research strategy for data collection. Selecting or constructing the appropriate techniques/tools/instruments etc. for data gathering. Undertaking pilot work. Time and scheduling the research. STAGE D Collecting and Analyzing data STAGE E Interpreting and Reporting the results

End of lecture Research is a discipline that can be practiced and applied for a particular objective. It can be used to mean many different kinds of things. Generally, it is used simply to mean ‘finding out’ something. Research is a professional career. Researcher plays very importance role in CONTRIBUTING KNEW THINGS.

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